Metal treating apparatus



May 21, 1935.

R. J WEAN ET AL METAL TREATING APPARATUS Filed June 1, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS May 21, 1935. R. J. WEAN ET AL METAL TREATING APPARATUS Filed June 1, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTgsS 2am. M 4

nave-mm May 21, 1935.

R. J. WE AN ET AL METAL TREATING APPARATUS Filed June 1, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 iNV N ToRs 3 7 Kiwi lrrllllnlkh l lvrll L. I I I I I 1 l I i I II m g m I May 21, 1935. R. J. WEAN ET AL METAL TREATING APPARATUS Filed June 1, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet, 4

INVENgRS Patented May 21, 1935 UNITED STATES 2,001,941; METAL TREATING APPARATUS Raymond J. Wean and Louis D. Peik. Warren,

Ohio, assignors to The Wean Engineering Company, Inc., Warren, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 1, 1934, Serial No. 728,482

' 14 Claims.

Our invention relates to apparatus for treating metallic surfaces and, particularly, apparatus for freeing pieces of metal from adhering layers of scale or oxide.

In our copending application Serial No. 728,484, filed June 1, 1934, we disclosed apparatus utilizing a centrifugal abrasive discharge wheel which is the subject of United States Patent No. 1,953,566, to L. D. Peik. In such apparatus, the abrasive discharge wheel is so mounted that its plane of rotation includes the line of movement of the material treated thereby. In other forms of the apparatus, the wheel is so mounted that its plane of rotation is at right angles to the path of movement of the material being treated. The former arrangement, of course, produces the maximum abrasive effect, but this efi'ect is confined to an area having the width of the so-called firing wheel, itself. The latter arrangement permits a greater area to be covered, but, since the zone of discharge characteristic of the wheel is determined by the manufacturing design, the device does not operate at highest ei' ficiency when treating minimum widths of material, since a certain amount of the abrasive discharged does not strike the work.

In accordance with our invention, we provide apparatus by which an abrasive firing wheel such as disclosed in the aforementioned patent may be disposed at almost any desired angle with the path of movement of the work so as to obtain highly efficient operation at all times, and se curing the maximum abrasive effect by confining the discharge to approximately the width of the work. By this means, the speed of travel of the work may be maintained at a higher-figure than if the wheel rotated in a plane transverse to the path of movement of the material and,-at the same time, a greater effective area can be covered than by the apparatus in which the firing wheel is mounted for rotation in a plane along the line of the material movement.

In accordance with our invention, we provide a cleaning chamber with means for conveying the work therethrough. Housings rotatably supported above and below the chamber enclose the firing wheels and their supporting bearings. The driving motors are mounted for rotation with the wheels. Means are provided for effecting the desired rotary adjustment of the wheels and for maintaining the supply and collection of abrasive material therefor.

A complete understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the accompanying draw- 4 23 as a center.

ings illustrating a preferred embodiment with certain: modifications. In the drawings Figure l is a side elevation of one form of the invention; a

Figure 2 is an end view thereof, with the work shown in section and parts broken away;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a partial sectional view along the line IV-IV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a modified construction;

Figure 6 is a plan view thereof;

Figure 7 is a partial sectional view along the line VII-N11 of Figure 6; and I Figure 8 is a partial sectional view along the line VIII-VIII of Figure 6.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, and for the moment to Figures 1 through 4, a substantially turret shaped housing I is mounted on a sub-base II. The sub-base I I is rotatable on a fixed base I2. The housing I0 isslotted or recessed at I3 to permit the passage therethrough of the piece to be treated, for example, a billet l4. Conveyor rolls I carry the work to, through and away from the housing IIL If short lengths are to be handled, an auxiliary conveyor roll I6 is disposed in the housing I0 and supported from the sub-base II The means for rotating the sub-base are shown in detail in Figure 4. A vertical shaft I1 is journaled in the flange of the sub-base II and at its upper end carries a hand wheel I8. The flange of the fixed base I2 has rack teeth I9 formed therein with which a pinion 20 keyed to the lower end of the shaft I5 is adapted to mesh. Rotation of the shaft I1 obviously causes angular movement of the sub-base II on the fixed base I2. Anchor bolts 2| are loosened, of course, before the adjustment is made and tightened when it has been completed.

A motor base 22 is carried on the sub-base II. A driving motor 23 is bolted to the base 22. A motor housing 24 carries bearings 25 for a. shaft 26 extending into the upper portion of the housing III. The shaft 28 carries an abrasive discharge wheel 21 as shown in detail in the Peik patent above mentioned. It will be noted that the posts of the bearings 25 are provided with a plurality of holes 28 whereby the journal engaging members of the bearing may be secured thereto at a number of different levels. The holes 28 are located on the arc of a circle described with the axis of the shaft of the motor Bearings 29 are carried on the sub-base for supporting a shaft 30. A firing wheel 3| is carried on the shaft 30 in line with the wheel 21. The shafts 26 and 30 are adapted to be driven by the motor 23 through belt drives.

The bottom of the housing In is formed into a collecting hopper 32. Spent abrasive falling into the hopper is discharged through a chute 33 to an elevator mechanism not shown, whereby it is re-delivered to the firing wheels 21 and 3| through a spout 34, which discharges into a hopper 35 adapted to receive abrasive therefrom in any adjusted position of the sub-base. The hopper 35 feeds ducts 36 leading to the firing wheels.

Referring to Figure 2, it will be apparent that when the parts, are in the position shown, the wheels 21 and3| will be effective to clean only the central portion of the two opposite faces of the billet l4. If the housing I is given a. slight angular movement so that. the plane of rotation of the wheels 21 and 3| makes an angle with the axis of the billet, the stream of abrasive particles discharged by the wheels will cover the en- ,tire area of the opposite sides of the billet.

The amolmt of angular adjustment of the housing necessary in each case depends, of course, on the width of the work it is desired to clean.

' The apparatus may be designed for any angular movement, although about 45 appears generally to be as much as is necessary. The driving motor and connections are carried on the rotatable sub-base so that no mechanical complications are introduced by the rotary adjustability of the housing. The receiving slot l3 furthermore, is sufliciently deep to permit the necessary angular adjustment. Preferably this opening is closed by curtains or the equivalent, except for the necessary entrance and exit for the material.

Figures through 8 illustrate a similar apparatus slightly modified as to certain details. This modification consists principally in making the greater portion of the apparatus stationary and rotating the firing wheels and their enclosing housings individually. As shown in Figure 5. the modified form of the apparatus comprises a structural frame 40 provided with conveyor rolls 4|. Adjacent the right hand end of the frame, a base 42 extends upwardly from the foundation. A sub-base 43 is rotatable on the base 42 and carries bearings 44 for a shaft 45. The bearings 44 are suspended by adjusting screws 44a on hearing posts 44b for vertical adjustment. A series of bolt holes 58 permits the bearings to be secured at various heights. A firing wheel 46 is carried onthe shaft 45 and is adapted to project a stream of abrasive particles onto the material moving along the conveyor rolls 4|. A motor 41 is also carried on the sub-base 43 and is belt connected to the shaft 45 for driving the firing wheel 46. The motor 41 may be adjusted by screws 41a to take up the slack in the belt drive for the shaft 45. A chute 48 extends downwardly from below the wheel 46 to a hopper 49.

The hopper 49 is formed in the lower portion of a fixed base 50 extending upwardly from the foundation. A sub-base 5| is rotatably mounted on the base 50 and carries bearings, 52 for a shaft 53. A firing wheel 54 is mounted on the shaft 53 and is adapted to be driven by a motor 55 mounted on the sub-base 5| through a belt connection.

The sub-bases 43 and 52 have rack teeth 59 formed adjacentone edge thereof for engagement by a pinion 60 journaled in the base 42. The pinion 60 is mounted on a stub shaft having a squared end 6| adapted to receive a crank or wrench. Anchor bolts 62 areprovided for securing the sub-base rigidly to the fixed base when the adjustment has been completed.

A screw conveyor 63 is located in the bottom of the hopper 49 for removing spent abrasive therefrom. The abrasive is then delivered to an elevator not shown, and returned to the abrasive wheels through storage hoppers 64 and 65 and connecting ducts 66 and 61.

It will be apparent from the foregoing decription that the invention provides for the disposition of centrifugal firing wheels at various angles to the path of movement of the work relative thereto. The upper firing Wheels themselves, furthermore, are adjustable vertically to maintain a substantially fixed distance between the periphery of the wheel and the adjacent surface of the work, regardless of the thickness of the latter. This makes it possible to obtain a substantially uniform abrasive effect upon the metal surfaces, whether they be those of a billet or those of a plate. By disposing the firing wheels at the proper angle, the entire width of the work can be cleaned in one operation with a single wheel. At the same time, the apparatus functions at its maximum efficiency at all times, regardless of the width of the work In this way the highest possible speed of travel of the work through the machine may be maintained.

Although we have illustrated and described herein but one preferred embodiment of the invention and a modification thereof, it will be apparent that numerous changes in the construction described may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Metal cleaning apparatus comprising a housing adapted to be traversed by the metal to be cleaned, abrasive throwing wheels disposed on opposite sides of the path of the metal through said housing, at least one of said wheels being supported in vertically adjustable bearings, and supports for said bearings having a plurality of bolt holes opposite which the bearings may be selectively positioned and secured.

2. Metal cleaning apparatus comprising a frame, means for conveying metal pieces therethrough, housings rotatably disposed above and below-the path of material through said frame, abrasive throwing wheels mounted in said housings, and means for driving said housings angularly about a vertical axis therethrough to change the angle between the plane of rotation of said wheels and the path of travel of metal through said frame.

3. In a metal cleaning apparatus, a frame, a conveyor for moving material to be treated there through, a housing rotatably mounted above said conveyor, an abrasive throwing wheel journaled in said housing, and means for driving the housing and wheel angularly about a vertical axis.

4. Metal treating apparatus comprising a conveyor, a housing overlying the conveyor,,a centrifugal abrasive throwing wheel on said housing adapted to operate on metal carried on the conveyor, said housing being adjustable angularly relative to the direction of movement of metal on the conveyor, and means for driving the housing angularly.

5. The apparatus defined by claim 4 characterized by a driving motor for the wheel mounted on the housing for rotation therewith.

6, The apparatus defined by claim 4 wherein the center of rotation of the housingacoincides with the center of the projection of the wheel on the plane of the conveyor.

7. The apparatus defined by claim 4 characterized by said means including a rack and pinion. I

8. Metal cleaning apparatus comprising a frame, a conveyor extending therethrough, a housing rotatably. mounted above the conveyor, a second housing rotatably mounted below the conveyor, a centrifugal abrasive-throwing wheel journaled in each of said housings, each housing having a wheel-driving motor mounted thereon, and means for driving the housings angularly of the frame whereby to position the plane of rotation ofthe wheels at various angles relative to the path of movement of material along said conveyor.

9. In a method of treating metal pieces of diiferent widths, the steps'including moving the pieces along a straight line, subjecting the pieces progressively to the effect of a relatively thin, wi'de stream of abrasive particles moving in a plane substantially perpendicular to that of the pieces, and adjusting the plane of the stream angularly relative to said line, whereby the effective width of the stream conforms substantially frame. a conveyor for moving material therethrough to be treated, a housing supported on the frame for angular movement about a vertical axis passing through the housing, an

' abrasive throwing wheel journaled in said housbeing rotatable on the base, an abrasive throwing wheel journaled in the housing for rotation in a substantially vertical plane, and means for driving said housing angularly whereby to rotate it and the plane of rotation of said wheel about a verticalaxis passing through the housing.

12. The apparatus defined by claim 11 wherein said means includes a shaft extending vertically, and means whereby the shaft may be turned.

13. The apparatus defined by claim 11 wherein the means for driving the housing angularly includes cooperating gearing on the base and housing.

14. The apparatus defined by claim, 11 wherein the means for driving the housing angularly includes rack and pinion means carried by said housing and base.

. RAYMOND J. WEAN.

LOUIS D. PEEK. 

